A solicitor accused of being concerned in drug dealing has told a court that his messages with a known cocaine dealer were about buying Dom Perignon champagne and providing legal advice, not drugs.
Ben Garvey, 38, of Port Talbot, denies being concerned in the supply of cocaine and steroids, and perverting the course of justice. He is also accused of encouraging friends to buy cocaine in a WhatsApp group named 'The Old C***s'.
Court evidence
Bristol Crown Court heard that Garvey later represented his alleged cocaine dealer Daniel Baker, 34, who was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs. It is alleged Garvey passed messages from Baker's runner Jake Blackburn, 28, to Baker while he was in police custody.
Garvey was a solicitor and former partner at David W Harris Solicitors & Co based in Swansea, Pontypridd, and Talbot Green.
The court heard the defendant's association with Baker began in the summer of 2021, when it is alleged Garvey purchased cocaine from Baker on behalf of himself and his friends.
Giving evidence on Thursday, Garvey said he first became aware of Baker towards the end of 2019, and his firm was instructed to carry out conveyancing work on the purchase of a property. After the end of a relationship between Baker and a friend's sister, Garvey said he bumped into Baker at Aberavon shopping centre and was asked for legal advice about an unpaid invoice for scaffolding work. Baker also asked Garvey to provide legal advice to his employee Blackburn.
Champagne explanation
Defence barrister Thomas Crowther asked Garvey if a 38-second phone call between him and Baker was about purchasing two deals of cocaine. Garvey responded: 'Absolutely not.'
The defendant was asked about a meeting near Briton Ferry McDonalds, which the prosecution alleges was for Garvey to purchase cocaine. Garvey said the meeting was about providing legal advice and buying champagne.
Garvey said: 'He was looking at my car and I was looking at his car, there was a girl in the front seat I didn’t know. In the back seats he had boxes and boxes of champagne. He had black boxes of Dom Perignon champagne. We were generally chit chatting, he said he went to Cardiff and get a load of them cheaper and I said I’ll have one off you.'
Garvey said he was friends with the owner of Juniper Place in Swansea, who he thought would be interested in purchasing champagne from Baker.
Mr Crowther asked: 'Did you think it was incongruous the scaffolder had an Audi RS5 with boxes of champagne on his backseat?' Garvey replied: 'Not at all. He’s a very successful businessman, owns his own scaffolding business. I thought he was a good guy.'
Regarding a message from Baker reading 'On the way sir, I’ll just fill some bags for you,' Garvey said this referred to branded promotional bags of Dom Perignon.
Garvey added: 'These were innocent conversations, professional in nature. It’s horrible sitting here hearing them being twisted into something they are not.'
Denials
Garvey, of Vivian Park Drive, Sandfields, Port Talbot, denies perverting the course of justice, being concerned in the supply of Class A and C drugs, and encouraging or assisting in the commission of an offence.
Baker, of Silver Avenue, Sandfields, Port Talbot, denies perverting the course of justice. He previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Blackburn, of Chrome Avenue, Sandfields, Port Talbot, denies perverting the course of justice but changed his plea to guilty to being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.
The trial continues.
